Is the Blue Lagoon a real hot spring?

The Blue Lagoon's history dates back to 1976 when it formed next to a geothermal power plant, Svartsengi. Contrary to many people's belief, the lagoon is not a natural hot spring but a pool created by a human-made structure. It's wastewater from a power plant drilling for steam and hot water.



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Blue Lagoon is not really a hot spring if you want to get technical. It is a man-made lagoon made with water from the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power plant. They pump up the water and use steam to generate electricity.

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The Iceland Blue Lagoon is not a natural spring. While Iceland is a country brimming with natural hot springs, the Blue Lagoon actually isn't one of them. The land is natural, as is the lava that shapes the pool, but the hot water is actually the result of runoff from the geothermal power plant next door.

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The water's iconic color is a result of the way that silica reflects sunlight. Deep in the earth, the water's temperature is a scorching 240° C. By the time the water reaches the lagoon, it is a warm, luxurious 38° C. Geothermal seawater is 70% ocean water and 30% freshwater.

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How is the Blue Lagoon Heated? Geothermal energy. Underground lava flows and natural hot springs heat the lagoon's mix of sea and freshwater. The water is drawn up through geothermal extraction wells from 2-kilometres beneath the Earth's surface.

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Blue Lagoon – History It is not a natural hot spring – in fact, the water within is wastewater from the power plant! While at first glance this may put you off, it should be noted that the water in the Blue Lagoon is completely safe and contains only natural minerals.

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Likewise, you can purchase a swimsuit in the shop at Blue Lagoon. Is there a maximum time allowed in that water? You may spend as much time as you wish enjoying the water. Your entry ticket is valid for the entire day.

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I would not recommend bringing your phone out if you have other means of taking photos – it's not worth the risk of damaging it. There's a lot of sulphur in the lagoon, which is why it has a distinct smell – one which will not be pleasing to most.

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The Blue Lagoon was named because the water of the lagoon looks blue when reflected from the sun but in actuality, the water is a milky white color. And don't worry about the smell, the sulfur has been removed so there is no funky smell at all anymore.

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Catching a glimpse of the milky-blue water against the black-rock lava fields, it may not come as a complete surprise that the Blue Lagoon is man-made. Runoff water from the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power plant trickles into the lava fields and a blanket of mineral-rich mud lines the foundations of the Blue Lagoon.

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The seawater in the Blue Lagoon has high levels of silica. Silica is not harmful to hair. However, if your hair gets wet, it can become stiff and difficult to manage. Therefore, we recommend that you apply conditioner to your hair before entering the lagoon--and leave it in your hair while in the lagoon.

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However, in hindsight, you can actually do the whole thing privately. You can take your bathing suit and towel into the private shower stall with you and hang them over the curtain. Get dressed when you're done and then take your clothes back to the locker area.

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The Blue Lagoon water has high levels of silica. Silica is not harmful to hair. However, if you get your hair wet from the water, it can become stiff and difficult to manage. We highly recommend you apply conditioner to your hair and leave it in while you bathe.

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You are welcome to bring your own towel, robe or slippers. However, towels are included in all packages, so there is no need to bring it with you.

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The Blue Lagoon does not allow any skinny dipping. You will have to bring along your swimsuit in order to enter both the water and the saunas. However, there aren't any rules about the type of swimsuit you can bring.

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Silica in the water is particularly good at absorbing oil, so is said to help with eczema and acne too. The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is even officially approved by Iceland's National Health Service as psoriasis treatment.

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We recommend that you remove any jewelry (rings, necklaces, bracelets, etc.) before entering the lagoon. This will ensure that you don't lose your items and that they don't get damaged by geothermal seawater which has high levels of silica, algae, and minerals.

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The Blue Lagoon offers a variety of day visit, overnight accommodation and dining options.

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